Notions Of Fabric

So, I've joined the rest of the sewing community... and I've started knitting. Not for that reason though. I learned how to knit when I was much younger, from my grandma, and made some scarves, to some success (using only knit stitch, mind you). I recently rediscovered my kntting when I moved, and now we live 3 hours away from my old hometown. However, we have friends getting married, we have family members birthdays and other social gatherings which mean we've been back in Canberra almost every weekend since we moved. That's quite a lot of driving, or for me, sitting in the car. So I wanted something to do in the car. So I'm working again on a half finished scarf from several years ago (coming along nicely, thanks), and started a beanie with my friend's help. I also realised, though, that my knitting bag is actually my Mum's. So I made myself one using a pair of fat quarters, a zip, and some webbing. It took less than 3 hours! It's basical...

Hello again. How are we all doing today? I loved the last dress I made, Simplicity 2444, so much that the very next thing I made was... another one! The fabric is really nice, actually. A family friend heard from my parents that I was sewing things, and mentioned that she had a HUGE amount of fabric she wanted to get rid of. I very happily went around to her place to take a look! She mostly did quilting, so many pieces weren't the right size for the job. But I picked up a few, and this one I wanted to use first. I looked it up based on the selvage, and it's actually a curtain fabric, 100% cotton, and quite sturdy. It gives the pleated skirt a really lovely shape.  I cut a 16 again, and pulled it in 2 inches before sewing it up. I (obviously) made the sleeveless version with pattern skirt this time. I learnt a big new skill for this one - bias binding! I used binding as a facing as well as on the inside of the dress - see, so nice! (Looks so nice...) ...

Last weekend, one of my cousins had a baby! It's very exciting news for the family, as that part of it hadn't had a baby girl in generations. As soon as I heard the news, I decided that I should put my sewing skills to good use! I thought patterns would be hard as she was only a little baby, and I live in a different state to them. So I tried to find a free pattern which could work and be flexible. Being a lover of the circle skirt myself, what better than to make some for my new baby cousin! I found a useful pattern piece and tutorial here . The first I made using remnants from the dress for me I'm currently finishing off. I decided to use bias binding on the bottom (and although it was supposed to be a circle skirt in one piece, I had to cut 4 sections - and used my first French seams), and I think it makes a cute touch. Now, we can match! Then, after seeing how little fabric you need (you can fit one onto a fat quarter!), I pulled a fat quarter I hadn't us...

Hey guys! So I had some posts queued up, but I was hoping that maybe someone out in the wilds of the internet would be able to help me with a few things. So I've been having a few issues with fit, on the back specifically. I think I must have a small back or something, because I find that necklines are too wide, and they gape (at the front and back, but more at the back). I've tried taking it down a size just around the neckline and grading back to the regular size at the bust, but this doesn't seem to work. Would it be better to just take a slice out of the back, or a wedge shaped section? Or (and I just thought of this so maybe it's totally crazy) could I go down a size, then do a FBA for my larger chest area? I don't have any fitting books or resources at the moment, so I was hoping someone might see this and be able to help... Please?

Another backlog post. Hi there everyone! Hope you are all having wonderful days/evenings. This dress, I was dying to make. I bought the fabric in Melbourne when I was there back in April. I was shamelessly inspired into buying the fabric having seen it on Roisin  and it getting stuck in my head. Actually, the pattern was also bought after having seen it on Roisin as well as many other bloggers. The fabric, as you can see is Acacia by Tula Pink; Raccoon in Blueberry. The pattern, Simplicity 2444. I waited until this pattern went on sale, but I'm so so glad I did. I have so many plans with this pattern. I love the V-shaped darts so much. The skirt is just a gathered rectangle (well, 3) - I ran out of fabric for the skirt (I got the end of the roll). The pattern features pockets, but is unlined, just faced. I think I will try and draft a lining for this as the facing doesn't want to behave half the time. I cut a 16, but ended up taking a 1.5 inch wedge out of the c...

And finally, I'm back! Hi there. Now, I know it's been ages - but I have excuses. They're even good ones. We moved house, I had to find a new job, and when I finally had some things ready to photograph, the boyfriend lost his camera (he's my photographer) and he had to buy a new one. So yeah, there's that. And now, we're all settled in the new apartment. We've moved from Canberra to Sydney (3 hrs by car), so it's kind of an upgrade. And now I have work too, and the boyfriend has a new camera... So we're all ready to go! I have 4 FO's to show you, but they'll be spread out, I won't post them all at once. This first dress was actually the last thing I finished before we moved. I saw the fabric in my (old) local Lincraft during the half price sale back in June (so, ages ago). I actually didn't buy it when I saw it originally, I walked away, thinking that it wouldn't work properly. But the more I thought about it, the more ...

Don't get me wrong - I adore sewing. I love when people notice my handmade clothes, and even just wearing them knowing I have that set of skills. I've really enjoyed creating things for my family and friends (glasses cases... maybe I should blog those? Comment if you'd like to see some!) and being able to give a unique gift. Maybe my favourite part is that my dragging my BFF shopping for fabric on my trip to Melbournelate last year, I not only persuaded her to get out her sewing machine (for the first time!) but to make a pair of lunch bags for herself and her hubby! But it's not my job. I have a job (I'm a teacher), which keeps me nice and busy. And busy is great. But when I get home after chasing small children around all day, I'm tired. Some days I'm buggered. And that's when sewing gets hard. I don't want it to feel like a chore. I don't want to force myself to do it, because I've done that with things before and that's when I aband...